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Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoRICHARD DREW | ASSOCIATED PRESSProtesting fast-food workers fill a McDonald's on New York's 5th Avenue. Thousands of fast-food workers across the country called yesterday for higher wages and the right to join unions.

NEW YORK — Thousands of fast-food workers and their supporters beat drums, blew whistles and
chanted slogans yesterday on picket lines in dozens of U.S. cities, marking the largest protest yet
in their quest for higher wages.

The nationwide day of demonstrations came after similar actions organized by unions and
community groups during the past several months.

Workers are calling for the right to unionize without interference from employers and for pay of
$15 an hour. That’s more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, or $15,000 a year
for full-time employees.

Thursday’s walkouts and protests reached about 60 cities, including New York, Chicago and
Detroit, organizers said. But the turnout varied significantly, with some targeted restaurants
seemingly operating normally and others temporarily unable to do business because they had too few
employees.

Ryan Carter, a 29-year-old who bought a $1 cup of coffee at a New York McDonald’s where
protesters gathered, said he “absolutely” supported the demand for higher wages.

“They work harder than the billionaires in this city,” he said.

Jobs in low-wage industries have led the economic recovery. Advocates for a higher minimum wage
say that makes it crucial that the jobs pay enough for workers who support families.

The restaurant industry says it already operates on thin margins and insists that sharply higher
wages would lead to steeper prices for customers and fewer opportunities for job seekers.

The drive for better pay comes as the White House, some members of Congress and economists seek
to raise the federal minimum wage. But most proposals are for a more modest increase, with
President Barack Obama suggesting $9 an hour.

The Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 2 million workers in
health-care, janitorial and other industries, has been providing financial support and training for
local organizers in the fast-food strikes around the country.

In New York, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined about 300 to 400 workers and supporters
yesterday in a march before the group flooded into a McDonald’s near the Empire State Building.At a
Wendy’s in New York City, about 150 workers and supporters stood outside chanting, “We can’t
survive on $7.25.” There were no customers inside.

In Detroit, the dining area of a McDonald’s on the northwest side was shut down as workers and
others protested outside.

In Raleigh, N.C., about 30 fast-food workers picketed outside a Little Caesars. Julio Wilson
said he earned $9 an hour at the pizza restaurant, where he has worked for about six months. He
said it’s not enough to support himself and his 5-year-old daughter.

“I know I’m risking my job, but it’s my right to fight for what I deserve,” Wilson said. “Nine
dollars an hour is not enough to make ends meet nowadays.”